Hair drier



Sept.- 1, 1931. E. NIELSEN HAIR DRIER Filed Oct. 11. 1929 flush/0?" Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMANUEL NIELSEN, F RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HAMILTON BEACH MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF RAC'INE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WI SCONSIN HAIR DRIER Application filed October 11, 1929.

The invention relates to driers for hair and similar purposes.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved drier which comprises an elec- 6 tric motor and a fan operated thereby to force a-blast of air on the hair or other matter to be dried and around an electric heater by which the desired temperature of the expelled air will be maintained, despite relative fluc- 10 tuations in the speed of the fan or heater. Variations in the motor speed, such as those caused by variation in the voltage of the current supplied to the motor, result in corresponding variations of volume and velocity of the air delivered by the fan, and unless provision is made for corresponding variation in generation of heat by the resistance element,the air is likely to become overheated or underheated. This object is attained pri- 0 marily by connecting the motor and resistance or heating element in series so that the resistance element and the motor will be automatically and correspondingly responsive to any fluctuations. By having the motor 26 and heating element connected in series, a reduction in the speed of the motor and fan will produce a corresponding variation in the heat produced by the heating element. When there is an increase in motor speed the fan 30 driven thereby will propel air to the heater at a higher velocity, and there will be a corresponding increase in the heat produced by the heating element. When there is a decrease in the fan-speed, there will be a correspending decrease in the heat generated by the resistance element. This causes delivery of air of a substantially uniform temperature because as the volumeand velocity of the air is varied, the heat produced by the heating element will be correspondingly varied, and prevent the delivery of overheated or underheated air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drier of this type which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel 60 features hereinafter set forth and more par- Serial No. 399,086.

ticularly defined by the claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a section of a drier embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a tail view of the heating element and the supporting base therefor.

The invention is exemplified in a drier comprising an electric motor A whichis mounted in a suitable portable casing a to which. a handle B is secured for manipulating thedrier; a fan C having blades a secured to rotate with the shaft a of the motor; and an electric heater D. The electric motor comprises a field core a secured in the casing a, a pair of field-windings a wound on the core a an armature core a with coil-windings a a commutator a, brushes a carried in a frame a which is secured in the casing a and through which extends the shaft a to which the armature is secured. The fan blades 0 rotate in a casing c which is telescopically connected at 0 to, and constitutes a continuation of, the casing a. Inlet openings c are provided to permit air to be drawn into the fan-casing c by blades 6. The fan-casing has a tubular discharge extension 0 through which the air is forced by the fan blades and in which the heater D is centrally disposed so the air will pass around it and be heated before it is discharged. The lower end of the extension 0 is formed with grooves in which the coil d is wound, as well understood in the art. The upper end ofthe based is secured to 'a bracket d which is secured by a screw (1 to the fan-casing. The lower end of the base (1 is provided with laterally extending legs (i which bear against the extension 0 and prevent sidewise displacement of the base 20 screw (1 on the base.

relatively to said casing. The air from the to one of the field-windings a of the motor and a conductor 6 connects said winding to one of the brushes. The other brush is connected by a conductor 6 to the other fieldwinding a and the latter is connected by a conductor 6 to a terminal screw d 'secured in the base d. The upper end of the heater coil is connected to screw at so that it is electrically connected to the conductor e The lower endof the heater coil is extended upwardly, as at (i through a-groove or opening in base (1 and is connected to a terminal A second'line conductor e extends through the handle B and the motor casing and is connected to said screw 0Z The operation is as follows: When the switch 7 isclosed current will flow through line conductor e, one of the field-windings a, a brush a, the armature, the other brush andfield-winding, conductor e*, and the heating coil d to the line conductor e. By virtue of the fact that the field-windings of the motor and the heating element are connected in series, any variation in the voltage of the current supplied to the line will cause a corresponding variation'in the motor speed V and a correspondingly increase or decrease of the speed of the fan and the volume and velocity of the air propelled through the casing extension c and around the heating element, which depends on the motor speedlwill be correspondingly varied. The fluctuation in the current will simultaneously cause a corresponding increase or decrease of current passing through the heating coil (Z and correspondingly vary the heat generated therein for transference to the airblast. When the motor is driven at high speed the volume of air propelled around theheating element will be increased and the heating coil d, being supplied with the current of higher voltage, will produce an increase of heat units so that the air under increased velocity then being propelled by the fan will be heated to the desired temperature -When the voltage of the current supplied to the motor decreases or for any other reason the speed at which it drives the fan 0 is decreased, the velocity of the air blown by the fan around the heating coil, will be reduced and the heat will, by reason of the decrease in voltage, produce less heat. Therefore, the heat production will be varied proportionately to the velocity of air passing around the heater so that the heater w llalways produce suflicient heat to raise I the temperature of the air discharged from the drier to the point desired, notwithstanding fluctuations in the voltage of the current or the speed of the motor and fan. In this manner, the temperature ofthe heated air can-be maintained at the proper point for drying notwithstanding variations in the speed of the fan, and there is no danger of overheating the air and causing burns.

The inventionexemplifies a drier for hair and other purposes in which the motor and the electric heating element are connected in series so the air will be discharged atthe desired temperature notwithstanding fluc tuations in the speed of the fan or motor and in which any danger of overheating or underheating the air is overcome. Also a drier in which a twocontact switch conjoint-1y controls the current flow-to both the motor and a drier which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation and can be produced at a low cost.

The invention is not be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described thehnvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a drierof the character described, the combination of an electric motor comprising field windings and an armature, a fan consisting of blades mounted on the shaft of the armature, a casing for the fan and the motor embodying at one side of the fan a laterally projecting extension with a discharge opening, a resistance element disposed in the extension and adapted to heat air in transit to the opening from the fan, and elctrical conductor means leading from the resistance element through the extension into the casin and connecting electrically the field windings of the motor and the resistance element in series so that the fan and resistance element will be subjected to corresponding speed and heat fluctuations re- 7 shaft of the armature, a casing for the fan and motor having at one sideof the fan a laterally projecting extension with a discharge opemng, means for supplying current to the motor comprising a pair of line conductors extending into the casing, one of said conductors being connected directly to one of thefield windings, a resistance element in the extension operative to heat air in transit to the discharge opening from the fan and having one end thdreof connected to the other line conductor, and a conductor leading from the other end of the resistance element through the extension and into the casing and connected to one of the other field windlngs of the motor and operating with the line conductors to connect electrically the field windings of the motor and the resistance element in series so that the fan and resistance element will be subjected to corresponding heat fluctuations respectively, Signed at Racine, Wisconsin, this 17th day of Sept, 1929.

EMANUEL NIELSEN. 

